Rustpicker
Many malefexes come from poor or difficult backgrounds, forced to make do or do without. Rustpickers are scavengers, even compared to their peers, who exist on margins of violence and find the beauty and power in things other people consider trash or scrap. Rustpickers are common in urban areas, and sometimes manifest their powers in response to strong fey or demonic incursions, tapping subconsciously into the power of rust and iron to push back against these ultraterrestrial invaders. Beloved of Iron (Su) Weapons the rustpicker wields, including thrown weapons and projectiles, count as being made of cold iron in addition to any other materials they are made of. If the weapons’ other materials have a different hardness and hit points, use the better value. This replaces one least malefaction learned at first level. Scavenger’s Knack (Su) The rustpicker gains Brilliant Planner as a bonus feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for this feat. She does not need to replenish her brilliant plan fund after procuring 20 or more pounds of objects; she only needs to replenish her fund after using up the gold she has invested in it. The rustpicker can still replenish her brilliant plan fund before then. Objects and services that normally cost less than 1 sp instead cost 1 sp for the purposes of the rustpicker’s Brilliant Planner feat. At 3rd level, the rustpicker becomes more skilled at acquiring and maintaining the odds and ends she uses to enact her brilliant plans; she only needs four hours to replenish her brilliant plan, and may spend up to 100 gp per character level when replenishing her brilliant plan fund. At 6th level, the rustpicker finds or creates a personalized magical container, known as her rucksack. This may be any container small enough for the rustpicker to lift and carry; backpacks are popular, but boxes, saddlebags, or even belt pouches are equally common. It takes one hour to turn a container into a rucksack. If the rustpicker makes a new rucksack while she already has one, the previous container ceases to be her rucksack. A rustpicker’s rucksack has an aura of strong conjuration and a caster level equal to the rustpicker’s class level, but no monetary value. It may not be dispelled or disjoined. While the rustpicker has a rucksack, having a brilliant plan does not increase her carried weight. Additionally, she may replenish her brilliant plan fund by placing objects into her rucksack and spending an hour meditating over it. After this time, the objects within the rucksack vanish, and half of their market value is added to the rustpicker’s brilliant plan fund, up to its normal maximum; any excess value is lost. Artifacts and cursed items may not be disposed of in this fashion; they remain in the rucksack, just as if it were a mundane container. At 9th level, the rustpicker may enact her brilliant plan to withdraw an object (but not procure a service) just as if she was drawing an object on her person, rather than in 10 minutes. In most cases, this means that the rustpicker may do so as a move action, though feats (such as Quick Draw) or other abilities and circumstances might alter this action cost. At 12th level, the rustpicker’s rucksack also functions as a handy haversack, regardless of its actual physical dimensions. It still has no monetary value. In addition, she may cast mage’s magnificent mansion ''once per day as a spell-like ability, with a caster level equal to her class level. At 15th level, the rustpicker may replenish her brilliant plan from any location, rather than in a settlement; she may procure any object or mundane service that she can afford with her brilliant plan fund, provided that the object or mundane service is available on the same plane of existence as her. She cannot procure priceless objects or services (such as artifacts or services without a listed cost). This replaces the knocks gained at 1st, 6th, 9th, and 15th level. '''Grip of Rust (Su)' Starting at 7th level, the victims of the rustpicker’s malefactions also suffer additional damage equal to her class level whenever they suffer damage from a source other than this ability. At 14th level, those creatures also suffer a -6 penalty to their Dexterity. This replaces schadenfreude and sublime schadenfreude. Iron Exile (Sp) Starting at 13th level, the rustpicker may cast ''banishment ''twice per day as a spell-like ability, with a caster level equal to her class level. This replaces curse breaker.